Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors), Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Gol-l-l-l-ee! A lovable, easily amused rube who started on The Andy Griffith Show, he would drive Sgt. Carter absolutely nuts in the spin-off — which never fell out of the Nielsen top 10. Carter eventually liked Pyle, finding him irrepressible for always seeing the good in people, as did the audience. The character, though, left such an impression in American popular culture that his first name has come to mean stupid and has been referenced in movies, TV, classic rock and video games over the years.